Super Bowl not coming back soon to North Texas

Super Bowl XLV was marred by ice, snow and a seating fiasco. Despite that, North Texas' first time as host is not expected to be the last.

Contractors continued the makeover of Cowboys Stadium on Monday, including building the words "Super Bowl" over the main entrance on the north side.
Star-Telegram / Kathy Vetter

The words "Super Bowl" are emerging on the north side of Cowboys Stadium, as seen from the WalMart parking lot across Randol Mill Road. Several people were stopping to get their own photos on Monday.
Star-Telegram / Kathy Vetter

Super Bowl banners -- red for the AFC and blue for the NFC -- ring the parking lots at Cowboys Stadium as the NFL continues to remake the stadium for the Feb. 6 game.
Star-Telegram / Kathy Vetter

The view from the west end zone upper plaza at the new Cowboys stadium in Arlington.
STAR-TELEGRAM/MAX FAULKNER

The NFL's Super Bowl Advisory Committee recommended South Florida and the San Francisco Bay Area as potential hosts for Super Bowl L in 2016. The loser will compete with Houston for the 2017 game.

Roger Staubach, chairman of the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee, has said he expects the area to host the game again in 2017, '18 or '19. But the committee's decision Tuesday means North Texas won't host its second Super Bowl until at least 2018, and it seems unlikely the committee would put back-to-back Super Bowls in Texas.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is content to wait his turn.

"We support the committee's judgment in considering a brand new facility in the Bay Area, as well as the South Florida market - which has hosted the most Super Bowls - as logical sites for the 50th game," Jones said in a statement.

"The selection process has changed since North Texas was chosen for Super Bowl XLV by a vote of the ownership, and although we did not make a bid in this current committee process, we will always be interested in having Super Bowls at Cowboys Stadium for years to come.

"We wish the 49ers, Dolphins and Texans, and their communities, the very best in their pursuit of Super Bowls L and LI. They are all great places to have the game."

South Florida has hosted 10 Super Bowls, the most of any area, which is why it is a strong candidate for the league's golden anniversary game. SunLife Stadium will require major upgrades to get the game, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday that renovations are part of the Dolphins' bid.

The Bay Area is a candidate because the San Francisco 49ers are building a new stadium in Santa Clara. The league rewards communities that build new stadiums with a Super Bowl if the area and stadium meet criteria.

Houston has hosted two Super Bowls, but its last came in 2004. The city previously was a finalist for Super Bowl XLIV, which went to Miami, and Super Bowl XLVI that was played in Indianapolis.

Houston chose not to compete for Super Bowl L since it is hosting the Final Four in April of 2016.

The selection process has changed to a committee system which selects the cities involved in the bidding process. NFL owners then vote on the host city.

Owners will vote on the 2016 and '17 games at their May meetings.

North Texas should fall into the queue after those games are awarded.

Super Bowl XLV was marred by ice, snow and a seating fiasco. Despite that, North Texas' first time as host is not expected to be the last.

Cowboys Stadium is the NFL's largest, which translated to the biggest financial payday for the league in Super Bowl history as face value for tickets was $800, $900 and $1,200.

The NFL lists official attendance at Super Bowl XLV at 91,060, but that omits the 12,159 credentialed personnel. Only the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., which has hosted five times, drew more Super Bowl fans.